Grass and weed destroyer



J y- 1946. D. A. CAYQR 2,403,847

GRASS AND WEED DESTROYER I Filed July 26, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- l lNVENToR. flanpielflfl'aylor BY- 7 July 9,1946. D. A. CAYLOR amass AND WEEDDESTROYER Filed July 26'', 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Dan tel 2. 0'

BK I 1 agayrm% Patented July: 9, 1 946 s PAT ENT GRASS AND WEEDDESTROYER Daniel A. Caylor, Suspension, Ala.

Application July 26, 1943, Serial No. 496,201

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to the destruction of grass and weeds along therails and on the bed of railroad tracks, and has among its objects andadvantages the provision of an improved weed and grass burner designedto utilize the exhaust gases from a locomotive with which the burner isassociated for effectively destroying the growth simultaneously on bothsides of the road bed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive showing my inventionapplied thereto.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a front View.

Figure 4 is a sectional detail View illustrating the manner in which thedevice is incorporated in the Smokestack of the locomotive.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of weed destroyercontrol valves.

Figure 6 is a view illustrating a control lever, and

Figure 7 is a view in side elevation of the forward portion of thelocomotive, illustrating a slightly different arrangement of the tubesfor conveying the exhaust to the road bed.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, I make useof a steam locomotive 2 quadrant 54, so that the lever may be latched indifferent positions to latch the damper 30 in its normally verticalposition, its completely closed position, or different intermediatepositions.

I 0 of a conventional type. Two tubes l2 are mounted on the locomotivenear the forward end of its boiler l4. The tubes l2 are arranged onopposite sides of the boiler and each has one end attached to a flangel6 comprising the base structure of the Smokestack [8. The flange I6 isprovided with a flange 20 riveted to the smokebox 22 of the locomotive.The flange l6 constitutes a continuation ofthe smokestack l8 so that thelatter has communication with the smokebox 22 in the usual manner.

In Figure 4, the tubes l2 are flanged at 24 and riveted at 26 to theflange l6. This flange has openings 28 coaxial with the tubes [2. Insidethe smokestack I8 is mounted a damper 30 which is provided with coaxialshafts 32 arranged transversely of the Smokestack and rotatably mountedin bearings 34. This damper is of such diameter as to completely closethe Smokestack I8 above the openings 28 when the damper is moved to ahorizontal position. Means for rotating the damper 30 comprises a crank36 fixed to one of the shafts 32 and pivotally connected with one end ofa rod 38 extending rearwardly to a posi-' tion inside the cab 40. InFigure 6, the rod 38 passes through an opening 42 in the cab wall 44. Alever 46 is pivotally connected at 48 with a bracket 50 attached to thewall 44. This lever is provided with a pawl 52 for coaction with a ers56 may be moved to closed or open positions,

as desired.

The tubes 12 are contoured to lie close to the boiler l4 and extendrearwardly from the flange l6 and then downwardly between the boiler andthe crosshead guide rods 64. Locomotives of the driving wheelarrangement shown are such that sufiicient room is available for thetubes l2 when positioned as shown and between the front driving wheel 66and the rear truck wheel 68. The lower ends of the tubes I2 extend topositions within two or three inches of the rails 10 and are bentrearwardly to angles of about 45 degrees from the vertical. The ends ofthe tubes are also bent outwardly in substantially the same degree.

In operation, the smokestack l8 may be closed to causethe hot gases toexhaust through the tubes [2. Because of the arrangement of thedischarging ends of the tubes I 2, the hot gases are exhausted onto theroad bed alongthe rails 10 to effectively destroy any growth adjacentand about the rails.

Figure 5 illustrates a modification in that slide valves 12 are employedin lieu of the pivoted valves 56. The valves 12 are slidably mounted inguides 14 fixed to the flange 16 corresponding to the flange IS. Thetubes 18 are fixed to the guide 14 and have communication with theflange l6 through the medium of ports 80 in the guides 14. Each valve 12has a control rod 82 pivotally connected therewith, which control rodscorrespond to the rods and may be actuated in the same manner.

As shown in Figure 7, the tubes for conveying nozzles I! which havetheir discharge ends located close to the rails 10 and which inclinedownwardly and rearwardly from the tubes at an angle of approximately45.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain myinvention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

In a steam locomotive having a boiler with a smoke-box and a cab atopposite ends a vertically disposed smokestack connected to thesmoke-box with an enlarged rectangular portion between its upper end andthe smoke-box, a valve in the smokestack above the enlarged rectangularportion, tubes connected to the opposite sides of the enlargedrectangular portion and extending down the sides of the smoke-box, aslide valve adjacent each side wall of the rectangular enlarged portionof the stack and controlling the inlet ends of the tubes, and separateoperating means leading from each of the said valves to the cab, wherebyall the valves may be separately operated.

DANIEL A. CAYLOR.

